From the Metropolis to the Strongest in the Cosmos

”Hunt Lan Yu?” Li Yang froze.

”That’s right.” Mute nodded with a smile. ”Li Yang, our rankings are already so high. There’s no way we’ll be eliminated in this second round, the battle royale.”

When the Human Race’s Eternal Saint Hall recruited geniuses, they primarily looked for Talent. The second consideration was whether they were suited for tempering.

A genius who died so easily during their trials wasn’t worth cultivating.

However, if a genius possessed enough raw Talent, they would certainly be recruited and nurtured even if they weren’t suited for tempering. Talent was more important than anything else.

This second-round battle royale was aimed more at the lower-ranked geniuses from the placement matches. Someone like Li Yang, who was in the top ten, couldn’t possibly be eliminated, no matter how poorly he performed.

”Since we’re not going to be eliminated, what’s the point of hunting down weaker geniuses? If we’re going to make a move, let’s go for something big.”

Mute smiled. ”I just happened to pick up Lan Yu’s trail. In his area of activity, I also found a dangerous land. When its hazard erupts, not even a Starry Sky Master could withstand it. If we use that place, we have a chance to kill Lan Yu.”

”We both stopped at the tenth stage. I killed two virtual people, and you killed one. Lan Yu ’only’ killed a hundred. He’s strong, but I estimate he’s only a few times stronger than we are.”

A crazed light flickered in his eyes. There was no point in killing other geniuses. If you were going to kill someone, it had to be someone like Lan Yu.

If they actually succeeded, their battle record would be legendary!

”So, what do you say, Li Yang? Interested in joining? Once we kill Lan Yu, our rankings are sure to rise! And you know, the higher the rank, the more generous the rewards from the Human Race’s Eternal Saint Hall!”

Mute asked.

Li Yang looked at him, pondering for a moment before asking, ”Is it just the two of us?”

Mute smiled. ”There are three others.”

He added persuasively, ”In any case, we can’t be eliminated. Even if the plan to hunt Lan Yu fails, it won’t affect our rankings.”

Meeting Mute’s expectant gaze, Li Yang finally nodded. ”Alright.”

’He was genuinely tempted.’

Having embarked on this path of the strong, Li Yang was determined to see it through to the end.

He wouldn’t back down just because Lan Yu was strong.

’More importantly, Li Yang wanted to see for himself just how strong Lan Yu truly was!’

’Take the tenth stage’s combat space, for example. With his complete mastery of the third forms of both the Hexagram Spear and the Illusion Body Skill, he was confident that if his power were to triple, he could also defeat those one hundred virtual people!’

”Haha! With you on board, Li Yang, I’m even more confident!” Mute laughed heartily.

The two of them arrived at a location where three people were already waiting.

One was a young man in red armor. He had red mystic runes on his face, and even his hair was red. He looked like a living flame.

This was Huo Lie, whose power was unrivaled within the Longevity Realm!

Another was a girl in turquoise armor. Her features were innocent and lovely, giving her the air of a girl-next-door.

But this was Yun Rou, the number one genius of Juelun Star Continent!

The last one was a young man a full ten meters tall. His face was covered in scales, and he had a dragon’s tail!

This was Long Zhan, a peerless genius from the Dragon Scale Race, a branch of the Human Race!

The Dragon Scale Race was one of the most powerful factions within the Human Race!

For comparison, Li Yang’s Sky-Fierce Flood Dragon and Thunder Star Beast avatars would reach the World Realm upon maturity.

The life-level of the Dragon Scale Race couldn’t compare, but upon maturity, they would become Starry Sky Masters.

Their bloodline was also incredibly powerful!

And Long Zhan was a peerless genius the likes of which the Dragon Scale Race hadn’t seen in countless years!

In the first round of the talent selection, Mixed Void had placed first, Lan Yu second, and Long Zhan third! He had killed nine virtual people in the tenth stage!

The fourth-place genius, the youngest of them all, Dilunxi, had killed five.

Long Zhan, Huo Lie, and Yun Rou—Mute had actually managed to gather all three of these peerless geniuses here!

”Haha, while I was waiting, I brought us a new partner.”

Mute said with a great laugh as he walked over with Li Yang.

As Li Yang sized up the other geniuses, they sized him up in return.

”Li Yang. Hello,” Long Zhan said bluntly, then fell silent. His personality seemed to be the cold, stoic type.

Huo Lie also offered a greeting, but his eyes revealed a flash of fighting spirit. ”Li Yang, you’re strong. I hope we get a chance to fight later!”

It seemed he was a battle maniac.

As for the last one, the young genius Yun Rou, she stared at Li Yang with wide, innocent eyes. Blushing like a shy girl from next door, she said, ”Li Yang, it’s nice to meet you.”

”Hello, everyone.”

The group made their introductions.

”Alright, now we wait. We’ll wait for Lan Yu to come to us. Based on my analysis, he should be here very soon,” Mute said with a smile.

He seemed to have some means of tracking Lan Yu.

He didn’t say what that method was.

However, the four profundities of each Law were different. Some were exceptionally unique. Take the Source of Life, one of the four great profundities of the Life Law. It offered almost no combat advantage, but it could resurrect the dead!

Such an ability was simply unimaginable!

’Perhaps Mute had comprehended some extremely rare Law profundity, which was how he was tracking Lan Yu.’

...

The five peerless geniuses waited. Meanwhile, high above the vast region, spatial screens had materialized, and numerous powerful entities were watching the geniuses within.

”These geniuses have terrible practical combat skills.”

”Look at this one, ranked 1,900th. He actually got ambushed and eliminated by a serrated rock creature weaker than him. Longyan Emperor specifically warned them that the battle royale space was filled with dangers and to be careful at all times, but he clearly didn’t take it to heart.”

”With combat awareness like that, the moment he goes out for some real-world tempering, he’ll be dead.”

”Exactly. To become a true expert, one must face countless life-or-death crises! Only geniuses with a strong mentality, even when they are weak, have a real chance of maturing!”

”Eliminated! Eliminated!”

As they discussed the performances of the one hundred thousand geniuses, the powerful entities would, from time to time, add another name to the elimination list.

”Huh? Look over there. What are those five—Long Zhan, Mute, Li Yang, Huo Lie, and Yun Rou—doing together?”

”Look, Lan Yu is heading their way.”

”Could it be? Are the five of them planning to take on Lan Yu?”

Seeing this, a spark of interest lit up in the eyes of the powerful entities.